Bookpleasures.com is pleased to have as our guest Ashley Rhodes-Courter author of theinternational best-seller Three Little Words and Three More
Words which debuted at #1 on Amazon Bestseller’s List.

Ashley was born in 1985 to
a single teen mother, by the age of 3 she was in Florida’s foster
care system where she spent almost ten years being shuttled between
14 homes—some quite abusive—before being adopted from a
Children’s Home at the age of twelve.

Despite her ordeal, Ashley
excelled in school because she believed that, “my education was the
one thing nobody could take from me.” Early in her life she felt
compelled to advocate for herself and the other children she lived
with, particularly in the abusive foster homes.

Her efforts and academic
achievements landed her Eckerd College’s Trustee Scholarship where
she graduated with honors and ahead of schedule earning a double
major in Communications and Theater and a double minor in Political
Science and Psychology.

Ashley then went on to
earn a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of
Southern California.

During her undergraduate
studies, she was one of 20 college students selected for the USA
Today All-USA Academic Team and was named one of GLAMOUR
Magazine’s Top Ten College Women.

She was also selected as
one of the four Golden BR!CK Award winners for outstanding advocacy
for community change by DoSomething!. As part of their campaign, she
was featured on 25 million bags of Cool Ranch Doritos.

By the age of 22, Ashley
had become a New York Times Bestselling Author.

Norm: Good day Ashley
and thanks for participating in our interview.

What has been your
greatest challenge (professionally) that you’ve overcome in getting
to where you’re at today?

Ashley: Though sometimes
people look at my story and think I am some kind of overnight
success, this is FAR from the case. I started writing and
advocating when I was a young teenager. I have had to put myself out
there in a variety of ways and faced plenty of rejection.

My
first book, Three Little Words began as an essay I wrote in
high school for a scholarship contest for the New York Times
Magazine. After winning first prize, publishers contacted me
interested in hearing my full story. There were plenty of
unsuccessful contests and entries prior to that win. Additionally, I
was dropped from my first publisher before finding a dream
partnership with Simon & Schuster. Before my second book, Three More Words was published, I had several book concepts
rejected once again.

A key to my success in
publishing has been writing for passion and purpose. My books are
memoirs about my experiences growing up in foster care, then becoming
a foster/adoptive parents. I hoped they would be informative,
instructive, and inspiring. When others approach me about writing
their own stories, I will ask them about their motivations. Hearing,
“I want to be rich and famous” is a big red flag that will set
the author up for heartbreak and frustration. Writers who enter
into their works with unselfish or cathartic intentions will feel
tremendous success and accomplishment, no matter how many copies are
sold. I have been shocked, touched, and thankful for the response to
my books, story, and work.

Norm: Can you tell us
how you found representation for your books? Did you pitch it to an
agent or query publishers who would most likely publish this type of
book? Any rejections? Did you self-publish?

Ashley: As I mentioned in
the previous response, my first book began as an essay for a
scholarship contest. I do have a literary agent I found through my
adoptive mother, who is also an author. Most agents have
submission guidelines on their websites, and they describe carefully
the types of authors and books they represent. Having an agent does
help get your work in front of the major publishing houses, and it’s
always helpful to have professionals to help you navigate contracts
and potential deals.

This being said, the
publishing landscape is vastly different than when my first book came
out in 2008, just after I graduated from college. I spend a
tremendous amount of time on the road as a keynote and motivational
speaker, and get to meet a variety of authors and professionals.

Many
of them have made high six and seven-figure incomes by independently
publishing and hand-selling their products. If I’m being
honest, my books and sales are not AT ALL a primary or reliable
source of income for my family. One fellow speaker disclosed that he
has made more than $1 Million dollars from his various independently
published works—but he could never achieve New York Times
Bestseller status for whatever reason.

When potential authors
are considering which publishing route to take, they need to evaluate
their circumstances and clearly identify WHY they are writing. If
they are hoping to make money, publishing independently will yield
much higher returns. However, if your goal is notoriety or other
motivations, you can try your luck with a traditional publishing
route.

Another aspect to consider
is your MARKETING. Unless you’re a major name, even big
publishers these days do not have the time or resources to send
authors on grand book and media tours. The marketing process
between my first and second books was staggering.

For my first book,
the publisher at least had me doing a few signings and appearances.
For the second, all I did were some back-to-back radio shows.
The rest and since I’ve had to coordinate myself. These days,
authors, regardless of how they publish, will largely be responsible
for their own marketing, outreach, and social media presence. While
having a traditional publisher may still be prestigious and generate
a very polished final product, the author will likely be doing the
same amount of hustle on the back end—and for less compensation.

Norm: What has been the
best part about being published?

Ashley: Being published
and a New York Times Bestselling Author by the age of 23 is a
tremendous honor. Having books and offerings at my lectures and
speaking engagements brings an additional level of gravitas and
professionalism. More importantly, I have been granted a
platform and ability to touch the lives of parents, professionals,
and students all over the world.

My first book is published in
several languages and countries. It is also used as part of First
Year Experience curriculum in many major Universities. Because my
books are non-fiction, readers can relate to, or are empowered by
them, on a variety of personal levels. It is beyond humbling and
amazing to receive letters and feedback from readers who have been so
personally impacted by my work.

Norm: What's the most
difficult thing for you about being a writer?

Ashley: One of my biggest
challenges of being a writer is TIME. I am now a mother of
three young children and I also work full-time as a keynote speaker
and social worker. The best writers are those who are constantly
consuming other media, books and engaging the world around them. I
find that my time is so limited these days with the demands of my
family and work life.

Few writers have the luxury of making
enough money from their books to not have to have any other source of
income. Even very successful authors are constantly engaged in
necessary activities beyond the page; whether that’s maintaining a
blog, social media following, vlogs, or any other way to stay
relevant in our rapidly changing society of remarkably short
attention spans. I am terrible at maintaining social media, and
ironically am a private person in my day-to-day life.

Writing for me was also a
challenge because I was writing about very painful parts of my life
that included severe abuse and neglect. Having to constantly relive
these instances is not always easy. I also struggled with the content
of my second book because it is more about my recent adult life,
rather than my more removed childhood experiences.

It can feel
embarrassing at times to know that people have possibly read about
very intimate details of my marriage, personal struggles, and family.
But I always try to remember that I am not alone in my experiences,
and hopefully I can help someone feel better able to handle their
personal circumstances.

Norm: What would you
like to accomplish as an author that you have not?

Ashley: I would love to
continue writing and publishing in some capacity. It is never a
guarantee that you’ll be picked up for another work. Just because
you were published once, doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be
published again. Authors, especially these days, must
constantly work to prove, and improve their craft. They also have to
be savvy about marketing, sales and be willing to do appearances and
make themselves available to readers in some capacity.

Norm: Do you feel that
writers, regardless of genre owe something to readers, if not, why
not, if so, why and what would that be?

Ashley: I think writers of
any genre owe readers their best work. There are a lot of
people publishing independently, and that’s great. However,
sometimes these people don’t bother to even edit their work.
Writers should be putting forth their best content and utilize
editors, copyrighters, or other professionals to ensure the highest
quality story. I can’t even count the number of readers,
editors, professors, friends, lawyers, and other experts I utilized.
I recognized and owned my shortcomings as a writer and sought advice
when necessary. Before jumping into a project, I recommend a
perspective author dedicate a lot of time and research into their
craft.

Norm: What purpose do
you believe your two books Three Little Words and Three More Words
serve and what matters to you about them?

Ashley: My books are
memoirs that first chronicle my nearly ten years in foster care where
I had 14 different placements—many of which were horribly
abusive—then my experiences as a foster/adoptive parent. Since
I was a teen, I have used my story to advocate on behalf of more than
500,000 children who are in the foster care system nationally.
Countless more have been victims of abuse, neglect, poverty, or
extreme adversity of some kind. For me, writing and journaling
was always a wonderful escape. It is my hope that my books inspired
others to step forward for a cause or population they care about or
help someone overcome their personal struggles.

Norm: Could you briefly
tell our readers about the two books.

Ashley: My first book, Three Little Words was published in 2008, just after I
graduated from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida. It quickly
became a New York Times, then international Bestseller. This
book takes readers through my childhood, various foster homes, my
adoption, and details various abuses and struggles. The story ends on
a happy note as I graduate High School and go on to college.

The second book, Three
More Words was published in 2015 and details my college
experiences, meeting my husband, receiving a Master’s Degree in
Social Work, running for Florida State Senate in my 20s, and becoming
a foster parent to more than 25 children—one of which was murdered
after being sent back to the relatives she had been removed from.

Norm: What challenges or
obstacles did you encounter while writing your books? How did you
overcome these challenges?

Ashley: One of my most
uncomfortable challenges in writing a memoir is that I am writing
about REAL people and REAL events. These same people may very well
read the book and not all will be happy about the truth. I did
change all names of minors, and other adults to protect their
identities. I used the real names of my adoptive family and the “good
guys” in the stories—from all of which I had permission. Another
personal obstacle of writing non-fiction is the risk of being called
a liar.

My first book was published while the James Frey
scandal (A Million Little Pieces) was still fresh in everyone’s
mind. All my life, I had been called a liar for reporting abusive
foster parents. It was critically important to me that
everything I wrote about was backed up by some kind of first-hand
interview, foster care case file notes, police records, legal
reports, or some other irrefutable source. I have “legal”
manuscripts that are almost as thick as the actual books that provide
documentation for every scene and incident I write about so that no
one could accuse me of being dishonest. I had to also be mindful to
keep my own mental health in check as I was recounting these very
dark times of my life.

Norm: What do you hope
will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your books?

Ashley: It is my hope that
my books inspire readers of all ages to take ownership of their
lives, and also encourage them to take a stand in their own
communities.

I now live in the Tampa
Bay area with my husband and three children. I started a
non-profit organization that helps provide mental health, education,
and wellness services to children and families in need, The Foundation for
Sustainable Families

Norm: What is next for
Ashley Rhodes-Courter?

Ashley: Being the mother
of young children, I am swimming in a sea of children’s books
daily. I especially love stories that teach children to be inclusive,
understanding, and those that show kids how to embrace diversity. I
have been floating around a few book ideas, but in the meantime, I
stay busy working with my non-profit, and serving at my mental health
agency, Sustainable Family Services,
www.SustainableFamilyServices.com. I also travel nationally and
internationally speaking at conferences, seminars, workshops, or
fundraising events for non-profits.

Norm; As this interview
comes to an end, what question do you wish that someone would ask
about your books, but nobody has?

Ashley: The most common
question I get is, “What are the three little words?” I
jokingly reply: “Read. The. Book.” I have been told the books are
quick reads, and I hope they help raise questions and awareness. I am
now 32 years old, and it can be challenging for people to remember
that the things I’m writing about, aren’t ancient history. These
are issues impacting our neighborhoods and our families, NOW. I
was also excited to hear that my first book is being made into a
major motion picture! I am not privy to a lot of info about the
project, so I’m staying eagerly tuned in, like everyone else!

Thanks for this
opportunity! Please reach out if there is any additional
information you need.

Norm: Thanks once again
and good luck with all of your future endeavors